What was the punishment that Israel was receiving in 2 Samuel 21?

He then turned around to punish David for his “wrong doing.” And to make things even more bizarre, God offered David three choices of punishment: three years of famine,29 three months being pursued by the enemies, or three days of plague in his country. David chose the last option, trusting in God’s mercy (רחמים).

What does 2 Samuel teach us?

The book of 2 Samuel continues to show us the virtue of humility, the destructiveness of pride, and the faithfulness of God’s promise. We see David succeed and fail, and we see God’s promise for a future king at the beginning and end of the story.

Why did rizpah guard the bodies?

Rizpah does for her sons in death what she cannot do for them in life; that is, protect them from predators. Here, we witness a grieving mother taking up a silent vigil over their corpses left exposed on a hill (21:9, 10). She could not stop David from taking her sons, could not stop the Gibeonites from killing them.

How long did rizpah guard the bodies?

(2 Samuel 21:8–9) Rizpah thereupon took her place on the rock of Gibeah, and for five months watched the suspended bodies of her children, to prevent them from being devoured by the beasts and birds of prey, (2 Samuel 21:10) till they were at length taken down and buried by David (2 Samuel 21:13) in the family grave at …

Who killed the Gibeonites?

The drought was then revealed to be divine judgement against King Saul’s decision to completely exterminate the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1), in his “zeal for Israel and Judah”. The blame for this genocide is also attributed to Saul’s family.

What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 24?

Chapter 24 is the final chapter of 2 Samuel; it records that David was determined to number, or count, the people in Israel. The record states that the Lord was displeased with him for doing this. Apparently, David was numbering the people to see how successful he really was as king.

Why is it called 2 Samuel?

The two books, which were originally one, are principally concerned with the origin and early history of the monarchy of ancient Israel. The work bears the name of Samuel apparently because he is the first of its principal figures and was instrumental in the selection of the first two kings.

What does 2 Samuel 11 teach us?

Encourage students to go where they should be and to refuse to entertain lustful desires so they can avoid temptation and sin. Testify of the happiness that can result from learning to control desires and of the Lord’s willingness to help us succeed in doing so.

What can we learn from Rizpah in the Bible?

Remembered for defending the bodies of her sacrificed sons, Rizpah is one of the most tragic figures in the Bible. Rizpah, King Saul’s concubine, 1866. Rizpah stopping the birds and beasts devouring the bodies of her sons and five others killed by the Gibeonites as a harvest sacrifice after a famine.

Who was Saul’s concubine?

Rizpah
Rizpah was the daughter of Aiah and concubine to King Saul, with whom she had and two sons: Armoni and Mephibosheth (II Samuel 3:7; 21:8,10-11). After Saul’s death, the commander-in-chief of his army, Abner, took a fancy to Rizpah and planned to marry her.

Did Abner sleep with Rizpah?

Rizpah prevents the executed bodies from being defiled by animals until David agrees to give them proper burial. At some point after Eshbaal’s installation as king, his great-uncle Abner, the seasoned commander of the Israelite army, makes a bid to wrest the throne from the inexperienced youth by sleeping with Rizpah.

Where are the Gibeonites today?

According to Joshua 10:12 and Joshua 11:19, the pre-conquest inhabitants of Gibeon, the Gibeonites, were Hivites; according to 2 Samuel 21:2 they were Amorites. The remains of Gibeon are located on the southern edge of the Palestinian village of al-Jib.

What does 2 Samuel 21 say about the Gibeonites?

2 Samuel 21 – Avenging the Gibeonites. A. David avenges the Gibeonites. 1. (1) A three-year famine prompts David to seek God. Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD.

Why did David suffer for Saul’s Sin?

“The whole people suffered for Saul’s sin; either because they approved it, or at least bewailed it not; neither did what they could to hinder it; whereby they became accessory.” (Trapp) c. He killed the Gibeonites: When David heard it was because of an attack against the Gibeonites, a chill probably ran up his back.

What did David do with the bones of Saul’s son?

And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa.